Biology (Concentration: Marine and Freshwater Biology)
B.S.
University of New Hampshire
2010
See all Profiles
Faculty
Faculty
Stacy Farina (she/they)
Associate Professor
Department/Office
- Biology
School/College
- College of Arts & Sciences
Additional Positions
-
Certified WAC Instructor
-
COAS Honors Program
Biography
Office Location: Just Hall Room 332
Office Telephone: (202) 806-6926
Laboratory Location: Just Hall Room 410
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2sdrtaMAAAAJ&hl=en
Education & Expertise
Education
Evolutionary Biology
Ph.D.
Cornell University
2015
Expertise
Functional Morphology
Evolutionary Morphology
Biomechanics
Ichthyology
Academics
Academics
Comparative Anatomy (BIOL252)
Research
Research
Funding
NSF HBCU-UP Catalyst Project: Evolution and biomechanics of multifunctional structures (HRD-2000268: PI: SC Farina, Award: $199,992)
NSF HBCU-UP Targeted Infusion Project: Inspiring, Engaging and Retaining Underrepresented Students in Computing Research and the Emerging Field of Data Science (HRD-2011933; PI: CM Lee, Co-PIs: SC Farina, S Teng, A Duttaroy, Award: $400,000)
NSF REU Site 1852096 (2019-2022) [Co-PI]
NSF PRFB DBI-1523836 (2015-2017) [PI]
NSF DDIG DEB-1310812 (2013-2015) [PI]
Group Information
Research Detailed:
How does evolution shape bones and muscles that are used across multiple biomechanical systems? This question has inspired my interest in fish gill ventilation and gill chambers. Gill ventilatory pumping in fishes requires the use of more than 20 individual bones and 8 distinct muscles, most of which are also used in suction feeding, coughing, burial, jet propulsion, and other behaviors. This makes fish gill chambers highly multifunctional. Multifunctionality is thought to constrain morphological evolution, but the multifunctionality of gill chambers does not appear to have limited fish skull diversity. How is this possible? In the Farina Lab, we integrate a number of approaches to address this and other questions, including 3D anatomical visualizations using micro-CT, physical and computational modeling, phylogenetic comparative methods, and physiological laboratory and field experiments. The Farina Lab offers diverse and cutting-edge training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate researchers.
Laboratory Personnel:
Jaida Elcock - Laboratory Technician
Kyra Amacker - Undergraduate Researcher
Patricia Mensah - Undergraduate Researcher
Joshua West - Undergraduate Researcher
Darius Carter - Undergraduate Researcher
Ashton Gabriel - Undergraduate Researcher
Sierra Reese - Undergraduate Researcher
Kela Bakari - Undergraduate Researcher
Jamaica Simmons - Undergraduate Researcher
Malik Chennault - Undergraduate Researcher
Sydney Stevens - Undergraduate Researcher
Sierra Reese - Undergraduate Researcher
Memberships and Professional Appointments
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2009-Present)
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (2010-Present)
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society (2012-Present)
Related Articles
Effect of parabranchial position on ventilatory pressures in the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi)
Arnette, S., Saffarian, J., Ferry, L. and Farina, S., 2023. Effect of parabranchial position on ventilatory pressures in the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi). Zoology, 159, p.126106.
Functional morphology of the urohyal shunt for symmetrical and asymmetrical ventilation in the flatfish, Isopsetta isolepis
Amacker, K. and Farina, S.C., 2022. Functional morphology of the urohyal shunt for symmetrical and asymmetrical ventilation in the flatfish, Isopsetta isolepis. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 62(4), pp.897-907.
Integration drives rapid phenotypic evolution in flatfishes.
Evans, KM, Larouche, O, Watson, SJ, Farina, SC, Habegger, ML, and Friedman, M. 2021. Integration drives rapid phenotypic evolution in flatfishes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(18).
Functional coupling in the evolution of suction feeding and gill ventilation of sculpins
Farina, SC, ML Knope, KA Corn, AP Summers, WE Bemis. 2019. Functional coupling in the evolution of suction feeding and gill ventilation of sculpins (Perciformes: Cottoidei). Integrative and Comparative Biology DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz022.
Pharyngeal jaws converge by similar means, not to similar ends, when minnows
Pos, KM, SC Farina, MA Kolmann, NJ Gidmark. 2019. Pharyngeal jaws converge by similar means, not to similar ends, when minnows (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae) adapt to new dietary niches. Integrative and Comparative Biology DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz090.
Enormous gill chambers of deep‐sea coffinfishes (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae) support unique ventilatory...
Long NP, SC Farina. 2019. Enormous gill chambers of deep‐sea coffinfishes (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae) support unique ventilatory specialisations such as breath holding and extreme inflation. Journal of Fish Biology DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14003
Evolution of skeletal and muscular morphology within the functionally integrated lower jaw adduction system of sculpins and relatives
Roberts, AS, SC Farina, RR Goforth, NJ Gidmark. 2018. Evolution of skeletal and muscular morphology within the functionally integrated lower jaw adduction system of sculpins and relatives (Cottoidei). Zoology. 129:59-65.
Effects of organism and substrate size on burial mechanics of English sole, Parophrys vetulus.
Corn, KA, SC Farina, AP Summers, AC Gibb. 2018. Effects of organism and substrate size on burial mechanics of English sole, Parophrys vetulus. Journal of Experimental Biology. doi: 10.1242/jeb.176131
A walking behavior generates functional overland movements in the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculosus
Bressman, NR, AC Gibb, SC Farina. 2018. A walking behavior generates functional overland movements in the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculosus. Zoology 131:20-28.
Functional morphology of gill ventilation in the Goosefish, Lophius americanus (Lophiiformes: Lophiidae)
Farina, SC, WE Bemis. 2016. Functional morphology of gill ventilation in the Goosefish, Lophius americanus (Lophiiformes: Lophiidae). Zoology 119:207-215 doi: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.01.006
Look before you leap: Visual navigation and terrestrial locomotion of the intertidal killifish Fundulus heteroclitus
Bressman, NR, SC Farina, AC Gibb. 2016. Look before you leap: Visual navigation and terrestrial locomotion of the intertidal killifish Fundulus heteroclitus. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology 325:57-64 doi: 10.1002/jez.1996
Modelling tooth-prey interactions in sharks - the importance of dynamic testing.
Corn, KA, SC Farina, J Brash, AP Summers. 2016. Modelling tooth-prey interactions in sharks - the importance of dynamic testing. Royal Society Open Science 3:160141. (Cover) doi: 10.1098/rsos.160141
Evolution of the branchiostegal membrane and restricted gill openings in actinopterygian fishes
Farina, SC, WE Bemis, TJ Near. 2015. Evolution of the branchiostegal membrane and restricted gill openings in actinopterygian fishes. Journal of Morphology 276:681-694 doi: 10.1002/jmor.20371
Aquatic burst locomotion by hydroplaning and paddling in common eiders (Somateria mollissima
Gough, WT, SC Farina, FE Fish. 2015. Aquatic burst locomotion by hydroplaning and paddling in common eiders (Somateria mollissima). Journal of Experimental Biology 218:1632-1638 doi: 10.1242/jeb.114140